Self Employed - Are You Burning The Midnight Oil

If you are self employed, and work from home, it is easy to get caught up in burning the midnight oil.. You have no one to pace you, and you can get caught up in the project, especially if it is one you like. You want it to be right, and you are trying to wear all the hats of your business..

Having your own space separate from the family areas, and not in your bedroom, is the first step. A studio or office with its own door is the better way to go. If you can, you should invest in this part of your business, as soon as possible. Your business should not be mixing in with your clothes in your bedroom and dishes in the kitchen, it needs its own space. But you also need to know when its time to close the door on your space for the day!

Having your own space for your business, means you can leave things out for the next day. The chances of losing reports and documents is less risky, compared to working at the kitchen table, or in your bedroom.

If like most people, one of the reasons you chose to run your business from home, was to spend more time with your family and have a less stressful life. But without the scheduled days, you can easily fall into the trap of working night and day and burning yourself out.

At the end of each day, create a schedule for the next day, of what needs to be accomplished. But allow for breaks etc. By having a schedule, you will not get distracted in the morning, and hopefully pick up where you left off.

Many people have a hard time getting started with their work day, when they work from home. Sometimes you have to create a separation from home to work, this could be as simple as quick walk around the block, or a drive to the coffee shop, grab a coffee and go back home. Time to wear your business cap.

Its great to work around the kids school schedule or your partners schedule, by setting blocks of time during the day to get your work done.. but don't push beyond that. If it starts getting to the point, where you emerge from your office or studio and the moon and the stars are out, and you have kids quietly knocking on your door, wondering if you are OK.. then its time to re-evaluate what you are doing or hire an assistant!

Working From Home

Once you have closed the door on your office or studio for the day, this does NOT mean bringing some work out to the kitchen table to work on while you are eating and supposed to be socializing with your family, or while watching TV. You have to end your day. There should be no evidence of your work in the family areas, this just causes stress for everyone, and makes you think of more things you have to do in your office, plus trying to find it all the next day, is even more stressful, since part of your report is in the living room, and another part ended up in the kitchen.

This is why a home office needs a door, something you can close with the work inside at the end of the day.. or at least a room divider or something that will separate your work area from your home and living area.

Credit: amazon.com

Remember, running a business from home can be a great thing, but like life, a business is always changing and evolving, and there will never be a "OK its all done for the day" it will always need "something" from you, or one more thing..

Its up to you to decide the hours of your business and when you are at your best to give it the time it needs., and then put up your "closed" sign, physically and mentally, and then go and have some fun with your friends and family. Life can get away from us very quickly.. go and enjoy it. Find some balance between your home business and your home life.